Sprout Magazine

The 4400: What Could Have Been

“4400 people are abducted by mysterious beings. They’re snatched from different places and at different times throughout the 20th and 21st century. Then, one balmy evening, a glowing ball of light disgorges the kidnapped folks at the side of a deserted lake. Every single one of them. Soon after, the returnees begin to manifest special powers…

Agents Tom Baldwin and Diana Skouris of NTAC (the Department of Homeland Security in season one) are tasked with finding out why the 4400 were taken and, more importantly, why they were brought back.”

The 4400 was a wonderful science fiction drama that ran from 2004 to 2007, starring amazing actors Joel Gretsch and Jacqueline McKenzie in the leading roles. However, I was quite unfortunate to only stumble across this incredible science fiction series late last year (I seem to have a knack for discovering great shows well after their cancellation!). What I loved the most about The 4400 was that it was classic science fiction, in addition to possessing well-acted and consistent characters, with entertaining storylines and themes.

Though, despite definitely being able to categorise this television show as science fiction, it is undeniable that The 4400 also possessed a ‘crime show’ feel to it. This is attributed to the majority of the episodes dealing with a ‘supernatural person of the week’, which is similar to other shows such as Smallville and Supernatural.

Yet, despite being a fantastic piece of science fiction, The 4400 was sadly cancelled prematurely, a tragic victim of the Writer’s Strike in 2007. However, I didn’t find this out until I was around halfway through the fourth (and final) season. By then I had grown deeply attached to each individual character, from Richard Tyler (played by Mahershalalhashbaz Ali) who was a soldier during the Korean War before being kidnapped by a glowing ball of light, to Jordan Collier (played by Billy Campbell) who viewers were constantly questioning whether or not he was one of the good guys.

When I finished the final season, I remember feeling quite upset and angry. Whilst the final episode was a great one (following in suit with the previous episodes), the show did not receive the proper ending it so deeply deserved. The 4400 ended not so much with a cliffhanger, just some loose ends that I believe could have been tied up with one more episode. Unfortunately, this didn’t happen and though it isn’t the same, fans can simply turn to the series of books that were released as its cancellation. The 4400 could have continued so brilliantly in a fifth season. So much could have been explored, such as how the city of Seattle dealt with having an ability.

I would also like to add that whilst the show was cancelled, I recommend that people watch it. The 4400 was a great series that spun fantastic stories and developed incredible characters.